In the spring of 1918 the German army launched a series of devastating offensives against the French and British lines on the Western Front. This vivid account captures the desperation of ordinary British soldiers fighting with their backs to the wall as they clung on to their fragile lines. Drawing on the dramatic personal accounts of men who were there—both commanders and ordinary grunts—the narrative brings to life the sheer suspense of waiting for the German attack, the desperate turmoil of the retreat, and the nail-biting turning of the tide that brought an end to the war. As a chronicle of the vast offensives of 1918, this history is unparalleled in its scope and depth.

In the spring of 1918 the German army launched a series of devastating offensives against the French and British lines on the Western Front. This vivid account captures the desperation of ordinary British soldiers fighting with their backs to the wall as they clung on to their fragile lines. Drawing on the dramatic personal accounts of men who were there—both commanders and ordinary grunts—the narrative brings to life the sheer suspense of waiting for the German attack, the desperate turmoil of the retreat, and the nail-biting turning of the tide that brought an end to the war. As a chronicle of the vast offensives of 1918, this history is unparalleled in its scope and depth.